Bird assemblages in wooded streets along three coastal cities in Southeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Abstract

We analyzed bird assemblages by counts in sites with similar habitat structure in cities with different degree of urban development based on number of inhabitants: Mar del Plata (500000 inhabitants), Necochea (80000 inhabitants), and Miramar (20000 inhabitants). Bird sampling was conducted on 100×50 m strip-transects along afforested streets surrounded by united houses. Out of the variables measured in each transect at the three cities, traffic level (along with number of people) and minimum distance to rural areas were higher in Mar del Plata, whereas lawn cover was higher in Miramar. Total species richness and bird abundance per transect did not vary among cities, whereas richness and abundance of birds not associated with human presence were higher in Miramar. The similarity index was higher between Miramar and Necochea, intermediate between Necochea and Mar del Plata, and lower between Miramar and Mar del Plata. Out of those bird species recorded in more than 10% of samplings, Columba livia and Zonotrichia capensis had similar abundances among cities, Passer domesticus and Zenaida auriculata were more abundant in Mar del Plata and Necochea, and Furnarius rufus and Mimus saturninus were more abundant in Miramar. Our results show that the bird assemblages analyzed in these three cities were influenced by local and regional factors.